🌊NOAA Seeks Public-Private Partnerships for Ocean Observing Systems
NOAA recognizes the pivotal roles of academia and industry in driving competition, innovation, and efficiency through strategic public-private partnerships. This RFI is soliciting information from organizations across these various sectors to assess interest and capability for adopting the long-term operation and sustainment of mature global observing systems--or elements of these observing systems (e.g., deployments, data management, etc.). This RFI is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a request for proposals or solicitation for a contract or grant award, nor does it obligate the Government in any way. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with responding to this request.
Learn More🎣Upcoming Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting Details
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC's) Bluefish Monitoring Committee (MC) will hold a public meeting jointly with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Bluefish Technical Committee.
Learn More🐟Public Meetings on Trawl Catch Share Program Review
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific Council) will convene three public hearings regarding the trawl catch share program review.
Learn More🎣2025 Salmon Fisheries Management Measures Correction by NOAA
NMFS established fishery management measures for the ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California for the season beginning May 16, 2025, and anticipated to end May 15, 2026 (the 2025 ocean salmon fishing season), under the authority of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). The final rule, published in the Federal Register on May 16, 2025, included an error in the management measures for commercial ocean salmon fisheries in the area from Humbug Mountain, Oregon, to the U.S./Mexico border. This action edits formatting and corrects an error by adding the text that was unintentionally omitted from the May 16, 2025, rule.
Learn More🐟Proposed 2025-2027 Atlantic Herring Fishery Specifications
NMFS proposes new 2025 harvest specifications and river herring and shad catch caps for the Atlantic herring fishery, and projects specifications and catch caps for 2026 and 2027, as recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council. This action also proposes to update the target rebuilding date for Atlantic herring. This action is necessary to respond to updated scientific information from a 2024 management track assessment and to achieve the goals and objectives of the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan, including preventing overfishing, helping rebuild an overfished stock, and achieving optimum yield on a continuing basis.
Learn More🐠Permit Issued for Research on Endangered Fish Species in NC
Notice is hereby given that the University of North Carolina Wilmington (Responsible Party: Frederick Scharf, Ph.D.) has been issued a permit to take Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) and shortnose sturgeon (A. brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research.
Learn More🎣2025 Regulatory Changes for West Coast Salmon Fisheries
NMFS announces one inseason action for the 2025 portion of the 2024-2025 ocean salmon fisheries. This inseason action modifies the commercial salmon fisheries in the area from the United States/Canada border to Cape Falcon, Oregon.
Learn More🌊Authorization for Marine Mammal Takes Under Lower Columbia Plan
In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the taking of marine mammals incidental to the implementation of the Lower Columbia River Dredged Material Management Plan ("Plan") in Oregon and Washington.
Learn More🐟Notice on Exempted Fishing Permits Under Magnuson-Stevens Act
The Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, NMFS, has made a preliminary determination that an application to modify and extend an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) contains all of the required information and warrants further consideration. The EFP would allow federally permitted fishing vessels to fish outside fishery regulations in support of exempted fishing activities proposed by Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF). Regulations under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act allow NMFS to publish a notification in the Federal Register if an EFP, as granted, is significantly different from the original application.
Learn More🌊NOAA Announces Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund and Partnership Proposals
This notice invites non-Federal entities to partner with the ocean and coastal mapping programs of NOAA's National Ocean Service on jointly-funded projects of mutual interest and establishes selection criteria and submission requirements for such projects under the Brennan Ocean Mapping Fund opportunity. With this funding opportunity, NOAA will match selected non-Federal partners at a 70:30/NOAA:partner ratio for projects proposing to contract for ocean, coastal, and/or Great Lakes mapping data totaling up to $1,000,000 per project. Selected non-Federal partners further benefit from this opportunity by leveraging NOAA's contracting and data management expertise. This ocean and coastal mapping funding opportunity is subject to the availability of funds.
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